Trader Joe’s Shrimp Pouches of Many Colors Review

Trader Joe’s Shrimp Pouches of Many Colors are a vibrant and delightful addition to any table, especially during the festive season. This offering is a visually stunning and tasty option for those who love dim sum but lack the time to prepare it from scratch.

I don’t know where you guys are from, but here in the Seattle area, we are surrounded by Chinese-style dumpling restaurants. Places like Din Tai Fung and The Dough Zone and we eat soup dumplings and regular steamed dumplings ALL THE TIME. I have an Asian grocery store down the street from me and I can buy bags and bags of dumplings. Needless to say, I know a good dumpling when I have one. 

The variety of colors—yellow, red, white, and green—is not just eye-catching but also naturally derived from vegetable juices such as spinach, beetroot, and pumpkin, adding an extra layer of intrigue. Each pouch, filled with a generous amount of shrimp and seasoned with aromatic ingredients like ginger, onion, garlic, and a hint of sesame oil, bursts with flavor in every bite. 

The versatility of these dumplings is commendable; whether you steam, pan-fry, or microwave them, they retain their vibrant hues and taste. This makes them an excellent choice for a quick at-home dim sum experience or a fancy party appetizer.

Trader Joe’s provides a variety of methods to cook these dumplings, I mean pouches. Here are the instructions they provide:

HEATING INSTRUCTIONS

HEAT FROM FROZEN

PAN FRY: Preheat 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove dumplings from packaging and carefully add frozen dumplings seam side up and heat for 4 minutes or until bottoms turn lightly golden. Add 6 Tbsp. water, reduce heat, cover, and steam until water evaporates and the bottoms of dumplings turn golden brown and slightly sticky, an additional 5 to 7 minutes Serve immediately. with your favorite soy or dipping sauce

STEAM: Remove dumplings from packaging and place dumplings seam side up in a steamer basket or double boiler over boiling water. Cover and steam for 7 to 10 minutes.

Serve immediately with your favorite sov or dipping sauce.

MICROWAVE (1200 watt): Microwave heat times may vary depending on oven wattage.

Remove dumplings from packaging and place on a microwave safe plate Cover with a wet paper towel and heat on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds. For the contents of 2 bags, heat on high for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

I choose the pan frying method since that’s my favorite way, although steaming is good too. I just like that crunchy bottom on the dumpling. I recommend NOT microwaving them. Every time I do that the wrapper just gets gummy.

I served them with some soy sauce, black vinegar, and shaved ginger in that little glass bowl you see in my picture.

Tasting Notes

After I pan-fried them and put them on a plate, I could smell the aroma of shrimp dumplings right away. I decided to try each color to see if I could taste any difference between the flavors and I couldn’t pick up any difference. In my mind, they all pretty much tasted the same.

As for the actual dumplings, I thought they tasted like standard frozen dumplings you get from the Asian market. I have to say they tasted pretty standard. I could pick up some of the shrimp, garlic, onion, ginger, and sesame oil. The dumplings were fairly small as dumplings go but not anything out of the ordinary.

However, a minor drawback is the texture of the dumpling wrappers. While they are beautifully pleated into a distinctive pouch shape, some may find them a tad too thick and slightly gummy. This doesn’t significantly detract from the overall experience, but it’s a point to note for those who prefer thinner, more delicate wrappers.

Overall, Trader Joe’s Shrimp Pouches of Many Colors is a delightful and convenient option for enjoying a dim sum-like experience at home, bringing both visual appeal and flavorful satisfaction to your palate. They are impressive enough for a special occasion yet simple enough for a casual meal, truly embodying the spirit of convenience and quality that Trader Joe’s is known for.

These frozen dumplings score a 7 out of 10 in my book.

Ingredients